Womack Remarks At Oversight Hearing of Inspectors General HUD, DOT, and Amtrak

Today, we welcome the Inspectors General from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, and Amtrak.

Good morning to our witnesses, the HUD IG Rae Oliver Davis, the DOT IG Eric Soskin, and the Amtrak IG Kevin Winters. Thank you for appearing before us today, and for your service to the taxpaying public.

One of our fundamental roles as members of the Appropriations Committee is to make sure that the funding we allocate is spent as intended. We look to IGS across the Federal government to conduct oversight to ensure our tax dollars are being well spent. We rely on you, Inspectors General Oliver Davis, Soskin, and Winters, to help us root out waste, fraud, and abuse at the agencies in your jurisdiction.

I have some concerns regarding the management and effectiveness of DOT and HUD, given the unprecedented federal funding both Departments have received in recent years. I have similar concerns with Amtrak, which, although a for-profit organization, receives billions of dollars in combined annual appropriations and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, advance appropriations.

Your audits and investigations provide a critical window for policymakers and members of the public to peer through. I am most interested to learn about the outcomes of your various reports – which recommendations have been implemented and which have not – and where additional Congressional attention may be needed.

I was pleased to meet all three of your offices’ budget requests for FY25 in the House bill. I – and the entire subcommittee – recognize the important work you all do. I look forward to your testimony as we make the tough decisions that will be required as we conference with the Senate to finalize the FY25 THUD bill.